Ocala, FL

Named as an Editor’s Pick for one of the Best United States’ Triathlons by Triathlete Magazine, HITS Ocala is one of the most popular HITS Triathlon Series races. The famed Carney Island Park will be home to this third stop on the HITS Triathlon Series circuit. The course is a convenient loop lay-out, where family and athletes can be engaged with each other throughout the entire day; both the bike and run come back through the park for high-fives and general spectator frenzy. Plus, the short drive from Walt Disney World and plenty of affordable lodging and dining options make this a destination for the entire family.

Ocala, FL Distances

The available race distances of the HITS Triathlon Series assures you a challenging course geared to your level of training, endurance and personal goals.

Click on the tabs below to read more details about each race distance.

Perfect For…
The HITS Open is for individuals attempting their first triathlon. We feel that this race distance is achievable for just about anyone; from the weekend warrior, to the stay-at-home mom to the athlete wannabe…this race is for you. The HITS Open is for the absolute beginner.

Open Training Tip: Mind Over Matter
Tip on how best to overcome being intimidated by a course or part of the race
If you feel yourself getting intimidated about any parts of the race or course, remember to master your mind, don’t let your mind master you. Stay in the moment and say to yourself “I’m alright, I’m alright.”

750m swim | 12.4 mi bike | 3.1 mi run ^

Perfect For…
The HITS Sprint is for people who aspire to go a little longer yet still keep their day-job. Seriously, this distance is fast and furious yet still keeps the athlete focused on pacing to ensure a successful finish. Most of these athletes have completed one to five sprint tri’s already. The HITS Sprint is for the budding triathlete.

Sprint Training Tip: Diet

Diet the day of the race
If you are competing in a Sprint or International distance race, you should prepare with a protein and carbohydrate drink that has about 500 calories. If you are competing in a Half or Full distance race, you should eat what you normally do for breakfast.

1500m swim | 24.8 mi bike | 6.2 mi run !

Perfect For…
The HITS Olympic Distance is for athletes who have been seasoned by their Sprint experience and are looking to go a bit longer in both training and racing. These athletes sometimes have a coach, but most simply find a way to piece together a plan from books and websites to get the job done. The HITS Olympic is for the flourishing triathlete.

Olympic Training Tip: Prevention

Tip on how to best prevent an injury
The best way to avoid injury during training is to move with proper form. The body will function perfectly if you allow it to move in the way it was meant to move.

1.2 mi swim | 56 mi bike | 13.1 mi run ++

Perfect For…
The HITS Half is where the dough begins to be spent. The cost of a bike alone is quite an expense. And, for good reason, this distance requires several hours of training commitment PER DAY. Most individuals who are racing at this distance have access to some form of coaching to help them in their preparation. This distance requires respect and careful consideration before entering. The HITS Half is for the ambitious triathlete.

Half Training Tip: The Course
How to prepare for varying courses
Hands down, the best way to understand a race course is to work out on it. Go swim in the lake, bike around the course and then run the final leg. Even if you do it on separate days, you’ll have the upper-hand on your competition.

2.4 mi swim | 112 mi bike | 26.2 mi run LL

Perfect For…
The grand-daddy of them all. When you complete this race, you know you’ve done something, um, well…different. It’s REALLY long! This race takes ALL day and there’s no disguising how it feels to finish this length of race…it takes a lot out of you. Therefore, it’s highly recommended to hire a professional coach to guide you through your first HITS Full experience. Save yourself many mistakes by getting sage advice from one who has been there, done (felt!) that. The HITS Full is for the seasoned triathlete.

Full Training Tip: Watch for BurnoutHow to best prevent burnout
Rest is the key to progressing in training/racing. If the appropriate amounts of rest are ignored, the athlete will become apathetic and lethargic. There’s no magic solution to prevent burnout except to follow the warning signs and back-off immediately with a couple OFF or easy days until the athlete seems fresh again. Then, it’s safe to proceed with the training plan